- 1592 Main Street
- Sarasota, FL 34236
7 minutes reading time
(1364 words)
Crème Brûlée
Aaah, Crème Brûlée. The classic dessert with a creamy custard base and caramelized sugar topping has a fascinating history that traces back to Europe. Variations of custard-based desserts emerged over time, and in the 17th century, a dessert resembling crème brûlée appeared in France. François Massialot included a similar recipe called "crème à l'Angloise" in his cookbook in 1691. The dessert gained popularity in France, with its caramelized sugar topping symbolizing elegance. It became a staple of French cuisine, appearing in cookbooks and fine dining menus. In the 1980s and 1990s, it experienced a resurgence in popularity. Today, crème brûlée can be found worldwide, inspiring creative variations while retaining its luxurious appeal. The dessert's smooth custard and crunchy caramelization continue to captivate dessert enthusiasts.
National Crème Brûlée Day is July 27th. Not that you need an excuse to eat crème brûlée. Every day is a great day to eat this sweet treat! Want to learn where you can find amazing crème brûlée along the Gulf Coast?
Sarasota-Manatee Originals’ Members That Serve Crème Brûlée
We asked some of our area’s best Chefs about their Crème Brûlée creations. You may find classic crème brûlée or crème brûlée with an elevated flavor. Either way, we are sure you will love this decadent dessert from any of these restaurants.
1592’s Maple Syrup Crème Brûlée - 1592 Wood Fired Kitchen & Cocktails
2’s Maple Syrup Crème Brûlée
1592 Wood Fired Kitchen & Cocktails
1592’s crème brûlée is special and unique because they use maple syrup from Quebec, says Co-owner and General Manager Mila Aguiar. “Our maple syrup brings a rich, natural sweetness with deep caramel and toffee-like notes. The unique taste of maple syrup adds a wonderful complexity to the classic crème brûlée, distinguishing it from the traditional version.”
Bijou Garden Café
According to Pastry Chef Shari Maciejewski, at Bijou they honor the classic vanilla crème brûlée. “The beans are sourced from the best purveyors, currently Narohy which is a subset of Valrhona Chocolate - and we’re using full beans, not a manufactured extract or paste. The real trick to a perfect crème brûlée is a perfect cook, and ours is cooked so you can sink a spoon into it but it melts in your mouth as you eat it. It should feel less like pudding and more like velvety soft serve as you eat it.”
- 1287 First Street
- Sarasota, FL 34236
-
Blue Marlin’s Orange Crème Brûlée
-
Blue Marlin Seafood
They prefer an orange crème brûlée at Blue Marlin Seafood on Anna Maria Island. “The citrus is at our doorstep,” says Adam Ellis, Chef and Owner. “It’s difficult to flavor crème brûlée because you can only add a small amount of liquid to the custard. We add orange juice & Grand Marnier as well as zest & some extract. The liquid is heavily reduced by simmering to get the water out. This concentrated flavor ends up being less than 1/4 cup after reduction. A secret to getting the custard to be smooth & lusciously creamy is to cook it slowly in a water bath.” “If you take your time and follow these hints,” adds Ellis “Your dessert will be the talk of the town! Have fun & enjoy!”
- 121 Bridge Street
- Bradenton Beach, FL 34217
Café Gabbiano
Classic in its preparation and presentation, homemade vanilla bean custard is baked in a water bath with torched caramelized brown sugar on top. For a traditional Italian finish, Cafe Gabbiano’s Marc Grimaud suggests enjoying your creme brulee with Vin Santo, a full-bodied sweet dessert wine from Tuscany. Sauterne would also go well with this type of dessert.
- 5104 Ocean Boulevard
- Sarasota, FL 34242
Duval's Fresh. Local. Seafood.
Our friends at Duval’s never skimp on quality. Their creme brulee is made in-house. It features fresh vanilla beans. “We use real vanilla beans, not an extract or flavoring. It was actually removed from our menu for a while until we featured it last year on our special summer menu. The guests loved it and we made it a permanent staple once again.”
- 1435 Main Street
- Sarasota, FL 34236
GROVE • Restaurant • Patio • Ballroom & PIER 22 • Restaurant • Patio • Catering
According to Executive Chef & Director of Operations Greg Campbell, “Our rich and creamy Crème Brulee is prepared in the traditional manner, using only four ingredients; full-fat heavy cream from Family-Owned Prairie Farms, fresh egg yolks, pure cane sugar, and real vanilla beans. The key to the perfectly smooth texture is delicately warming the cream and tempering in the egg yolks and sugar, while never allowing the mixture to boil. Excessive heat can destroy the subtle yet complex vanilla bean.”
- GROVE
10670 Boardwalk Loop - Lakewood Ranch, FL 34202
- PIER 22
- 1200 First Avenue West
- Bradenton, FL 34205
Mattison's Forty-One
Guests at Mattison’s exclaim it's the best creme brulee they’ve ever had! Made of egg yolks, sugar, and cream that have been infused with imported Tahitian vanilla bean. The chefs carefully temper these ingredients together and bake them in the oven resulting in a rich and creamy custard. The custard is then flambeed with a turbinado sugar crust and garnished with fresh seasonal berries.
- 7275 South Tamiami Trail
- Sarasota, FL 34231
Michael's On East
"One of the shining stars of our Michael's On East dessert menu is our Crème Brûlée!” affirms Michael Klauber, co-proprietor of the iconic fine-dining restaurant. “We use superior-quality ingredients which give this classic French dessert a luxurious twist. The custard gets its alluring vanilla aroma & distinctive flavor from the split vanilla beans we steep in cream. We then sprinkle sugar on top & caramelize it to a beautiful golden brown, creating a satisfyingly crackly layer that contrasts wonderfully with the rich & creamy custard beneath.”
“Served with a garnish of fresh seasonal berries, our Crème Brûlée is a harmonious symphony of flavors and textures that's sure to satisfy your sweet tooth."
- 1212 East Avenue South
- Sarasota, FL 34239
Sage
"I think the most interesting thing about our crème brûlée at Sage is the rotating flavor. It really allows for some creativity in what is otherwise a very traditional recipe. You can have a different experience with the dessert every time you come in, and you never truly know what to expect. Last week we had Roasted Corn and White Chocolate, this week we have Lemon Basil. It can be anything from sweet and classic to rich and herbaceous."
- 1216 1st Street
- Sarasota, FL 34236
Tzeva
Yelpers are raving about the Black Sesame Brulee being served at Tzeva (pronounced zee-va), nestled inside Sarasota’s boutique hotel, Art Ovation. The unique and delicious dish is served with Chantilly Cream, honey macerated fruit, and a sugar tuile. “It is made with classic French technique,” says Executive Chef Ken Shiro Lumpkin. “It is a combination of old world, new world, Asian and southern coast of the Mediterranean.”
- 1255 North Palm Avenue
- Sarasota, FL 34236
The Waterfront Restaurant & Craft Bar
“There’s no secret to the classic preparation of crème brûlée,” according to The Waterfront’s dessert guru Chef Mike Neely. “The scalding of the cream with vanilla beans. The creaming of the egg yolks and sugar… What sets ours apart is the addition of fresh ginger. We steep fresh sliced ginger with the cream and vanilla. Then strain it out before adding to the yolk mixture. The ginger adds an extra layer of sweet and savory to the vanilla and egg, while any undesirable spiciness of the ginger gets cooked out.”
- 111 South Bay Boulevard
- Anna Maria, FL 34216
Ready to enjoy a dish of this mouth-watering rich dessert?
We hope you enjoy all of your dining experiences with our Originals! You can find the full list of restaurants here that help to make up the heart of Sarasota-Manatee Originals. Take time to indulge in the sweetness of life and Eat Like A Local!
